Refrigerator shelf trim strip



June 10, 1952 A. H. BURRISE REFRIGERATOR SHELF TRIM STRIP Filed April 17. 1950 JNVENTOR. Al/DREW A EU/PE/SE HIS ATTORNEY Patented June 10, 1952 a UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE REFRIGERATOR SHELF TRIM STRIP Andrew H. Burrise, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Admiral Corporation, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Delaware I Application April 17, 1950, Serial No. 156,391

4 Claims. (Cl. 211-153) 1 i 2 This invention relates to shelves, and more ends and provides a number of other advantages particularly a shelf formed from a wire rack and as will appear. The guard takes the form of having a protective and ornamental shield. a strip I5 preferably of sheet metal but which Shelves of household refrigerators and other could be formed of a hard plastic material. This appliances are frequently formed of a heavy wire 5 strip is formed into a cross sectional shape best frame having transverse bars or rods of wire, shown in Fig. 3. The lower edge I B is curved to usually somewhat lighter, welded or otherwise engage the wire frame I2. The strip extends fixed thereto. The ends of these transverse bars substantially horizontally from these, toward the projected from the frame or stood above the front somewhat beyond the frame I2. It is then frame so that a rough edge was presented at all bent back on itself to form an upward sloping, times. convex curvature at I1, and at the upper edge By my invention, I provide a shelf of construcis folded under to form a hooked edge I8 leaving tion in which the ends of the bars are covered a slot at I9 only wide enoug f t p 0 t0 and shielded by a protective and ornamental be described hereinafter. strip held to the shelf by clip means. This makes t he s of the Strip near the Corner Of the shelf more attractive, protects the hands of the frame I2, the hook portion I B may be cut one reaching for anything on the shelf and makes away (Fi to allow Clearance for areuate it .easier to place articles on the shelf since there cerner 0 he ame l A DOItiOII 0f the C v are no upstanding ends which can be caught by surface I! may also be bent downward from that the bottom of the article being placed on the surface to form a closing wall 22 which will enshelf. gage the sides of the frame I2 to prevent side- A more complete understanding of the invene sliding of the Strip tion may be had by reference to the following h ps 20, a plural ty of W h are u ed o description and figures in which: hold the strip I 5 in place, are formed from spring Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a part of the shelf 25 wire. Hooks 25 are formed at each end having with a portion of the strip broken away to show a portion engaged in t Slot h W e e the clip; tends vertically from these hooks to a point ap- Fig. 2 is an isometric view of the botto part proximately at the bottom level of the bars I3. of the shelf to an enlarged scale with a part of From this point at each end of e oo th Clips the strip broken away; 0 are formed with arms 26 extending toward each Fig. 3 is a sectional view along li 3 3 of other on the under side of the bars I3. These Fig. 1 to an enlarged scale. arms are shown in the figures as crossing two Briefly, my invention comprises a 1 11 for bars. It is obvious, however, that they could cabinet having an ornamental protective shield cross more or fewer s a still s v h purover the exposed edge, which shield is held in p f r wh h h y w re desi n d. place by simple wire clips inexpensive t ma The center portion of the clip 20 is in the form facture, easy to install and of positive operation. o a projection 21 bent forward to extend above More specifically, and referring to the figures the front Piece Of the frame It is appa n throughout which like reference characters refer a the p y engaging the b t om 0! the bars to like parts, the invention comprises a shelf II I3 a e p of the frame I! d av s of a type customarily used in household refrigends 25 extending into the slots I9 will hold the erators. This shelf is constructed of a frame I2 Strip l5- TheSe Clips ar paced at eOnVenient of heavy wire extending around the border of intervals along the strip I5 to hold it securely the shelf. Bars I3 of wire somewhat lighter than in position. the frame extend across it and are welded or The assembly of the device is apparent from the soldered to the frame at the points of contact. figures. One preferred method is to place the Shelves such as these are customarily placed so strip I5 in place on the frame I2 in an inverted that these bars I3 extend toward the door of position as shown in Fig. 2; hook one hooked the compartment in which the shelf is to be used. end 25 of the clip in place in the slot I9 through This makes easier the sliding of articles in and a space between any two bars I3; press the arms out of the shelf space. Such placement, however, 26 against the bars I3 to allow the extension 2'! exposes the ends of the bars at the points of to be slid into place engaging the frame I2; and attachment and may result in skinned knuckles then hooking the other end 25 of the clip in place. unless the ends were smoothly rounded off. It is apparent from the above description that However, by my invention a. guard covers these 5 the strip I5 is not only ornamental but serves as a guard covering the ends of the bars 13. In addition, the folded portion l8 forms a slight ridge at the front edge of the shelf to prevent inadvertent sliding of articles off the front edge. The sloping portion 11 also provides a smooth surface for sliding articles up onto the shelf. It is also apparent that the novel clip device 20 provides for easy'assembly and also disassembly for cleaning if desired.

Having thus described my invention, I am aware that numerous and extensive departures may be made therefrom without departing from the spirit or scope of my invention.

I claim:

1. In a shelf comprising a frame, rods fixed to said frame, and a strip having a hooked edge engaging said frame and a folded edge lying on said rods; clip means having hooked ends engaged in said folded edge, arms extending from said ends engaged beneath said rods and an extension engaging said frame to hold said strip in place.

"2. For use with a shelf comprising a rectangular frame, androds fixed to said frame; a strip having .a'hooked edge engaging the front of said frame, a folded edge lying on said rods and havmg its ends folded down to prevent sidewise motion of the strip, and'wire clip means engaged in said hooked edge of. said strip and with said frameto hold said strip in place.

3. For use with .a shelf comprising a wire frame, rods fixed to said frame, and a strip having a hooked edge engaging the front of said frame and a folded edge lying on said rods; clip means for holding said strip on said'frame, said clip being'formed Witha center extension engaging the top of said frame, a "pair of arms extendingoutwardly from'said extension and eachengaging the underside of at least one of said bars, and an outer terminating portion extending from each of said arms in an upward and rearward direction engaging said folded portion of said strip, said spring being of resilient wire and adapted to hold said strip springably in place.

4. For use with a shelf comprising a frame comprising an outer marginal member, rod members secured to opposite sides of and bridging said marginal member, and a trim strip comprising an upper portion overlying said marginal member and the ends of said rods, said trim strip extending around the edge and underneath themarginal member and having an upwardly turned portion engaging the marginal member on theinner sides thereof, said upper portion of the strip having an edge formed with a groove opening toward the edge of the trim strip; clip means for interlocking engagement with said shelf and trim strip comprising a tongue portion for engagement with said marginal member on the upper side thereof, portions extending laterally from opposite sides of said tongue under at least one of said rods and each provided with terminating portions extending upwardly and rearwardly for engagement in said grooved portion above the rods.

ANDREW 'I-l. BURRISE.

REFERENCES CIT ED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

